PT50s With a bit of wobble

[EOU]

We've received a few reports, usually regarding instruments that are shipped overseas, of PT50 Series instruments that have just a tiny bit of wobble in the bases. The wobble manifests always in the front left corner of the instrument. A very few units seem to take on this set during shipping. We know this because they are checked for this characteristic prior to packaging. The actual error in the base averages about .006" (.15mm) on the offending units so very slight indeed.

Four-point contact bases are just problematic. If the surface they are rested on isn't perfectly level, they're going to wobble and if the contact points aren't precisely even, same result. Three-point contact bases don't suffer from this problem. We've begun adding two additional contact points toward the center front of all units. This creates a sort of pseudo three-point contact base for our instruments because the added contact feet are .010" higher (thicker) than the original front pads on either side. This will steady the instrument on surfaces with some variation in level as well as take care of any "set" problems that may have occurred during shipping. The new pads are adhesive back, .0625" (1.6mm) thick. Here's a picture of the improvement that is now part of all new PT50 model instruments;

                                                                         

[Mark Reich]

Mine developed this condition after I received it. It persisted until I sanded a little rubber off the "thicker" pads. I just put a piece of sandpaper under the offending pad and moved the PT-50 back and forth a bit. Problem has not returned.

[EOU]

Thanks Mark for the tip. I've got a few dining room chairs that I'd like you to have a look at. Just goes to show what a little ingenuity will do. Like we said, it's only a very few thousandths of an inch but still, irritating.

[SHARPCO]

Clever idea!